The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Video Game: What Do You Know | CNN

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Perhaps The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the most anticipated video game of the year. (In fact it is He won this very award in 2022 – It’s been a long wait.)

And by all accounts, it lives up to the hype: “Tears of the Kingdom,” released May 12, has already broken sales records, won over experts like IGN and longtime “Zelda” fans, and prompted some fans to take time off from work to dive in. In her complex and enveloping world.

The first “Zelda” game was released in 1986, and nearly 40 years later, Link’s adventures still infuriate gamers and infuriate those who don’t have more than 100 hours to spend discovering the game’s many hidden treasures. Here’s what you need to know about the latest installment in the “Zelda” franchise—no spoilers.

Link, now a Knight of the Kingdom of Hyrule, just finished saving Hyrule in the popular 2017 game, “Breath of the Wild.” But just when he thought he could hand over his green jacket, super-villain Ganondorf returned to wreak havoc, bringing the wise Princess Zelda with him. Link sets out to find her – and once again save Hyrule from one of the most pervasive threats.

But oh! Zelda has a few surprises up her sleeves: In the final trailer before “Kingdom’s” release, Zelda is seen wielding the Master Sword, Link’s famous weapon, and saying ominously, “I know why I’m here — it’s something only I can do.” Will she be the one to save her kingdom? In its perfect -10 review, IGN said the plot is taken in “wild buck” directions at points, with revelations and plot twists that will shock even the hardest “Zelda” fan (a typical plot is: save Zelda, defeat Ganondorf, repeat).

There are other surprises in terms of gameplay and Link’s new powers. In an appearance on NPR, The Guardian’s video games editor Kizza MacDonald said the game “lets you tinker with everything you can find in the world.” This kind of open-ended exploration and creative freedom is new to Zelda.

The hype around Kingdom Tears was astronomical after Breath of the Wild, which received rave reviews upon its 2017 release. Critics praised it for its vast world, gorgeous graphics, and seemingly endless ways to die, survive, and complete the game in the end.

But “Tears of the Kingdom” appears to have surpassed its predecessor in terms of popularity and critical acclaim: It sold 10 million units in its first three days, Nintendo says, making it the fastest-selling “Zelda” game to date. It’s already Nintendo’s fastest selling game on any game system in the Americas (take that, Mario and “Animal Crossing”!).

This game is a behemoth that demands your time: the main story takes about 51 hours to complete, IGN estimates. And if you’re a quest completer, be prepared to dedicate over 100 hours to completing all of the side quests and add-ons. As with many recent “Zelda” games, its creators expect their players to be fairly well-versed in its complex world. Beware of casual players.

You may not have played “Zelda” before but this latest game and its astronomical hype has finally piqued your interest. Its lore is a little complicated, but the gist of the titular “Legend” goes something like this, according to the official “Zelda” website:

Three gods of strength, wisdom, and courage created the fictional world in which “Zelda” takes place. These deities made something called a “Triforce”, with three triangles representing each of their virtues. Link is granted the Triforce of Courage; Zelda possesses the power of Triple Wisdom. Villainous Ganondorf has the ultimate triforce: Power.

Link is tasked throughout the games with protecting Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, usually from Ganondorf, who frequently tries to take over Zelda’s kingdom. (And yes, Link and Zelda’s relationship is vaguely romantic but mostly focused on the business of preserving the kingdom.) Characters are killed and then reincarnated, and we meet them as youth and then adults in two timelines, depending on the game. It makes more sense when you’re playing, but even then, it’s still a bit of a mystery.

Regarding the details of this game and how it builds on the “Zelda” legend, we will provide those surprises for players to discover about 50 hours in it.